EP0043883A2 - Tie-hook, in particular hook for an elastic tie - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a hook for bungee cords and the like, suitable for being fixed to a cable or a strap. The hook comprises a block for fixing (14) to the cable or to the strap (16), a deformable retaining loop (22) having substantially the shape of a U, a branch (24) of which has an end (26) integral with the fixing block (14) and the other branch (28) of which has at its free end (30) a spout (32) turned in the direction of the bottom of the U, and a hooking member (36) integral with the fixing block (14) and wherein the spout (32) can be engaged or disengaged to respectively close or open the hook.

Description

The invention relates to a hook for hanging a link, in particular an elastic link, such as a cable or an elastic strap, in particular for hanging a bungee cord.

The hooks which are fixed to a cable or a strap, rigid or elastic, for example the hooks fitted to the luggage retaining nets or the single-strand or multi-strand baggage fasteners, generally consist of a simple bent steel wire which can be drop out of hand and which may injure the user.

The invention aims to provide a hook which cannot be detached while remaining easy to implement and remove, preferably a hook whose opening requires exerting a force opposite to the pulling of the link on the hook.

The hook of the invention has a part forming a block for fixing to the link and a part forming an open hooking loop, one branch of which is integral with the fixing block and the other branch of which is free, can deviate or become bring it sideways to the block and has a gripping means for gripping the block by closing the loop.

Preferably, the gripping means of the free branch is a spout directed towards the bottom of the loop and able to penetrate into a recess in the block. The block presents a link passage and said block recess is turned in the opposite direction to the direction of insertion of the link in said passage.

• - la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un crochet, conforme à un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention, représenté en position d'ouverture;
• - la figure 2 est une vue en perspective montrant le crochet de la figure 1 en position d'ouverture à un stade précédant sa fermeture;
• - la figure 3 est une vue en perspective montrant le crochet des figures 1 et 2 en position de fermeture;
• - la figure 4 est une vue en coupe d'un crochet, conforme à un autre mode de réalisation de l'invention, représenté en position de fermeture;
• - la figure 5 est une vue en perspective montrant le crochet de la figure 4 en position d'ouverture, et
• - la figure 6 est une autre vue en perspective du crochet des figures 4 et 5.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows and which refers to the appended drawings given solely by way of illustration, and in which:

• - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hook, according to a first embodiment of the invention, shown in the open position;
• - Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the hook of Figure 1 in the open position at a stage before it is closed;
• - Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the hook of Figures 1 and 2 in the closed position;
• - Figure 4 is a sectional view of a hook, according to another embodiment of the invention, shown in the closed position;
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the hook of FIG. 4 in the open position, and
• FIG. 6 is another perspective view of the hook of FIGS. 4 and 5.

There is shown in Figures 1 to 3 a hook 10 according to the invention intended to be fixed on a bar 12 forming part, for example, of a roof rack of a motor vehicle.

The hook 10 comprises a fixing block 14 of any shape, for example of generally spherical shape, provided with a through passage directed along a diameter of the sphere and intended for the fixing of an elastic cable 16. This through passage leads to the exterior by opposite circular openings 18 and 20, the opening 18 having a diameter smaller than the opening 20 to allow the end of the cable 16 to be folded up and fixed on itself without being able to escape from the fixing block 14.

The hook 10 also comprises a part forming a retaining loop 22 having substantially the shape of a U and comprising a branch 24 whose end 26 is integral with the fixing block 14 and a branch 28 whose end 30 is free and provided a spout 32 turned upside down towards the bottom of the U. The branches 24 and 26 are joined together by a rounded, substantially circular part 34, forming the actual loop.

The branches of the loop are flat and thick and lie flat against the fixing block 14, which is located between the branches.

The spout 32 can be engaged or disengaged in a recess 42 of the block to respectively close the hook (Figure 3) or open the hook (Figures and 2).

The recess 42 is delimited on the side of the spout by a front wall 36 which, in the hook closed position (Figure 3), engages like a notch in a space 40 between the spout 32 and the branch 28 of the loop .

The recess 42 has a hollow corresponding to that of the spout 32 so that these two elements can cooperate closely in the closed position as shown in FIG. 3.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, the spout 32 has the shape of a point, more precisely a slightly obtuse angle, directed towards the bottom of the U. This point is in a plane perpendicular to the defined plane by the two branches 24 and 28 of the retaining loop 22. This ensures the self-centering of the spout in the recess.

It will be noted that the rim 38 of the wall 36 has a V-shaped section similar to the shape of the tip of the spout 32.

The attachment member 36 and the point of attachment tion of the end 26 of the branch 24 on the fixing body 14 are arranged symmetrically on the sphere with respect to the through passage so that, in the closed position of the hook (cf. FIG. 3), the two branches 24 and 28 of the U are substantially parallel to the through passage and therefore to the direction of the cable 16.

The hook shown in Figures 1 to 3 is advantageously made in one piece by molding a plastic material. The branches of the loop are rigid but the loop makes it possible to separate the free branch so that the spout 32 can be engaged (or released) from the attachment member 36.

The device is used as described below.

The hook in the open position is engaged around the gallery element 12 as shown in FIG. 1. The fixing block 14 and the retaining loop 22 are then brought manually by placing, for example, the thumb (P) on the body of attachment 14 and the index (I) on the rounded bottom 34 of the retaining loop so as to bring the spout 32 closer to the hooking member 36, as shown in FIG. 2.

Once the spout 32 is facing the hooking member 36, the tension exerted with the thumb and forefinger is released so that the spout 32 penetrates inside the recess 42. It will be noted that the point shape of the spout 32 promotes its centering inside the recess 42. This also prevents lateral unlocking of the hook 10 resulting from a lateral displacement of the spout 32 relative to the recess 42. It will be noted in FIG. 3 that any force F exerted on the hook 10 via the cable 16 tends to favor the cooperation of the spout 32 and the hooking member 36 and that, in order to separate the spout 32 from this attachment member 36, a force must be exerted on the retaining loop directed in the opposite direction of the force F.

There is shown in Figures 4 to 6 a hook which differs from that of Figures 1 to 3 only by the presence of a gripping ring 44 fixed on the branch 24 which is secured to the fixing block 14. The role of this ring is to facilitate the pulling of the cable 16 as shown for example in FIG. 5.

It will be noted in the section of FIG. 4 that the end of the cable 16 is folded back on itself and held by means of a metal band 46. With this arrangement, the cable cannot escape from the fixing block 14.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown to which the person skilled in the art can provide variant details.

Thus, the fixing block, the shape of which is not limiting but is preferably chosen from among the shapes easily obtained by molding can have, for example, the shape of a truncated cone or a truncated pyramid. This block may further include various recesses or side dishes.

The skilled person is also not limited to a particular fixing of the cable to the fixing block: metal strapping or ring on the end of the folded cable, ring crimped on the straight end and not folded of the cable, etc. ...

Claims (13)

1) Hook for attaching a link, in particular an elastic link, characterized in that it has a part forming a block (14) for fixing to the link (16), and a part forming a loop of open hooking (22) one branch (24) of which is integral with the fixing block and the other branch (28) of which is free, can deviate or move laterally towards the block and has a gripping means (32) for grab the block by closing the loop. 2) Hook according to claim 1, characterized in that the gripping means of the free branch (28) is a spout (32) directed towards the bottom of the loop (22) and capable of entering a recess (42) of the block (14). 3) Hook according to claim 2, characterized in that the spout (32) is pointed and the recess (42) has a hollow corresponding shape for self-centering of the spout in the recess. 4) Hook according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the recess (42) is delimited on the side of said other branch (28) by a front wall (36) which has an edge cut into a V for the introduction of the spout (32) in the recess. 5) Hook according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the block (14) is located between said branches (24, 28). 6) Hook according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said branches (24, 28) are flat. 7) Hook according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said branches (24, 28) bear flat against the block (14). 8) Hook according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the block (14) has a passage of link (18, 20). 9) Hook according to claims 2 and 8, characterized in that said recess (42) of the block (14) is rotated in the opposite direction to the direction of introduction of the link (16) in said passage (18, 20). 10) Part according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that said link passage (18, 20) is located in the axis of the loop (22) and the branches (24, 28) of the loop are substantially symmetrical by compared to this passage. 11) Hook according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that one (24) of said branches has a gripping ring (44). 12) Hook according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the block (14) has the general shape of a sphere and in that the loop (22) forms a U whose branches (24, 28) lead respectively into two diametrically opposite zones of the sphere. 13) Hook according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it came from plastic molding.

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